


Rekindled

by HeeCawRoo



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Ashen Romance | Auspistice, Caliginous Romance | Kismesis, F/M, Forgiveness, Identity Issues, Jealousy, M/M, Multi, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Post-Sburb/Sgrub, Reconciliation, Redemption, Slow Burn, background ships in notes, sollux fucks up all his relationships in the name of hate but it gets better, unrequited feelings, vriska and gamzee are gone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-02-03
Packaged: 2018-09-21 18:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9561611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeeCawRoo/pseuds/HeeCawRoo
Summary: "Fef," he said, pleadingly. And that was all he said. He cleared his throat, as if the words were caught in it.Feferi's smile faltered for a second, long enough for Sollux to step forward with a growl."Fuck off, Eridan." he said, voice low and threatening. "I don't care what Kanaya says, you can't make up for what you did. It doesn't matter how many half assed apologies you make."--Sburb is over. All the dead trolls are returned to the new world. Eridan is working to make amends, and seek forgiveness.Sollux has no intention of granting it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've been mad that the fandom slept on Terezi c3< Eridan/Sollux since alterniabound, so I'm finally making it happen.
> 
> Eventually.
> 
> These kids are bad at romance.

It's over.

Finally. After three long years, the game is finally over.

The heros—friends, _survivors_ —stand on a lonely platform and take in their victory. They're bruised, beaten down, they're missing almost half their group, but they've won. They stand and face their reward; entry into the universe they were promised. John reaches out to push open the door and his arm feels like molasses. There's a tension running through the group. Some of them still remember this moment; being the ones facing their prize, before it was yanked out from underneath them. No one would really be surprised. They hold their breath, waiting for something to come and tear this away from them one last time.

Nothing comes.

Jade deploys Earth inside the new universe, and together she and Dave manipulate its growth into a habitable state. The survivors settle in, and for the first time in years, sweeps, they truly _breathe_.

They won.

* * *

A clean victory wasn't the only surprise the game had in store for them, as they soon found out. Ten new inhabitants appeared on the planet; the sprites, and four figures they thought had been lost forever.

Their friends were alive.

Before they had a chance to process this, the sprites jumped into motion. GCATavros woke up and immediately had a violent allergic reaction to his newly acquired cat DNA, sneezing static and sprite powers in every direction. Davepeta and ARquius each grabbed hold of him, preventing him from causing too much damage, and whisked him away to find a cure.

The rest of the sprites scattered and the humans left to explore their new home, leaving the trolls to face their fallen companions.

Feferi was exuberantly excited to be ALIV—-E, and wasted no time reuniting with her friends. But the reunion was more awkward than heartfelt, as they looked over the line-up. Aradia and Sollux after all hadn't technically been _dead_ , only lost to them. Still, the trolls were relieved to have them back.

Eridan, though. Eridan they weren't sure what to do with.

A full headcount showed their number wasn't quite complete; Vriska had never returned from her assault on Lord English, and Gamzee seemed to have vanished.

Eridan remained.

"How…" Karkat hesitated, forcing himself to look away from his _former_ friend. "How are you guys even here? This doesn't make any fucking sense."

"We don't know!" Aradia said, way too cheerful to match the mood of the group. "The last thing I remember is the Pocket forming and sucking the bubbles up. I thought Sollux fell in, but I guess he must have just appeared here ahead of me."

"Is this normal, then?" Kanaya asked. "Players who didn't finish the game being brought back to life anyway? Perhaps it could be part of our reward."

"But it wasn't even our session!" Karkat said. "Why the hell would _we_ get rewarded? It's the humans who beat the game. Besides, if that was it then why isn't everyone back? Where the fuck is Gamzee? Where's _Vriska_!?"

Terezi tensed beside him, but said nothing.

Aradia grinned at Karkat. "Oh, Vriska definitely fell in. She was right next to the pocket when everything broke. I don't think she's going to show up anytime soon."

Karkat flinched away. "How the bulgechomping shit can you say something like that so casually, _what the fuck!?_ "

Aradia drew back, hovering above them with her wings flapping gently. "Well, it's true. Sorry Karkat! It would've been nice for her to join us, but she didn't make it."

"So…so what about Gamzee, huh? He shouldn't have been anywhere near the furthest ring. Where'd he go?"

Kanaya tilted her head in thought. "I suppose it's possible that he just left on his own. He could be on this planet and simply not want to see any of us."

"But he…"

"Seariously, It doesn't matter why we're here, Karcrab!" Feferi interrupted, a too-wide grin plastered across her face. "What's important is we're alive. We're finally back together! It's too bad that we're missing someone, but this is krill more than anemone thought we'd get."

"Are you fucking kidding me, how does it _not matter_? The game's supposed to be—"

"Come on, Kar, lighten up. The game's over, you don't have to second guess everythin."

Karkat's mouth snapped shut. Eridan was— was _looking_ at him, speaking right to him. He couldn't handle this. Not now. Not yet.

"Yeah." he croaked out. "Yeah, fine, I guess. Whatever." He edged his way out of the group. "So that's settled then, nobody gives a shit what happened. I'm gonna go find Dave."

Terezi watched him walk away, and remained silent.

Kanaya frowned after him, then turned back to the group. "Well, I guess that's that." she said. "It's good to have you back. I should probably get back to Rose as well."

She turned away and the group started to disperse.

"Wait, Kan. Hold on."

Everyone stopped. Kanaya turned to face Eridan, her expression guarded. "Yes, what is it?"

Eridan swayed awkwardly on his feet, having trouble meeting her gaze. "I just, uh, thought maybe we should talk."

"About what?"

At that he did look up and catch her eyes. "Fuck, Kan, you _know_ what. Come on. I _shot_ you."

A tension rippled over the group. Feferi's wide grin fell. Beside her Sollux twitched, as if he was holding himself back. Kanaya narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, you did." she said, warily.

"I mean, I might as well not beat around the bush about it. It happened, an I feel like shit about it, an I figured I should say I'm sorry."

"You're _sorry_ for shooting me."

"Yeah. It was fuckin awful of me, an I apologize." he said. "You're one a the few people who actually gave me the time a day at that point, an I really appreciated that. But then I had to fuckin go an ruin it. Worse than that, cause at the time I was pretty sure I'd killed you."

"You _did_ kill me."

"Kan I'm not an idiot, you're standing right in front of me."

"So are you."

"Now let's not bring it back around to that, I mean I'm apologizin but we both know how that confrontation ended."

Kanaya rubbed her temples, trying to quell her frustration. "Eridan…" she warned.

"Yeah?"

"Killing me isn't even the worst thing you did to me." she said, fixing his eyes in a glare. His face fell.

"It's not?" he asked.

"You _destroyed the matriorb_."

"Oh, yeah." he said. "Well."

"Well?" she questioned.

"I mean I know how important that was to you, so I get that you're pissed. I probably would be too if I were you."

"Eridan, that isn't an apology."

"Well, I don't wanna lie to you."

" _Eridan_." Kanaya growled.

Eridan at least had the decency to look embarrassed, but didn't lose her gaze. "I planned to destroy that thing from the beginnin. I don't feel bad about it, I'd do it again. I don't think we shoulda been tryin to revive our species, it's too late for us."

In a flash, Kanaya's lipstick was in her hands. Eridan flinched away. "Wait, now hold on now." he said in a hurry. "What's done is done, that's not a threat or anythin. You're not gonna kill me for _thinkin_ that, are you? It's not like I could do anythin even if I wanted to."

"Oh, but you could!" Aradia swooped down, _smiling_ for some god forsaken reason. "Roxy made us a new matriorb, and Kanaya plans on hatching it! You're still technically an active threat."

"Jeez, AA, don't TELL him that!" Sollux snapped. "The last thing we need is this fucking asshole getting any ideas."

Eridan looked over his friends; Kanaya and Terezi both with their weapons out, Sollux glaring daggers, Aradia's bizarre cheer every bit as scary.

"Okay," he said, stepping back. "Claimin I'd do it again now strikes me as a mistake."

Kanaya stepped towards him and he faltered back. He shivered as she raised her chainsaw towards him.

"Kan," he said shakily. "Kan, please. I'm _sorry_. We're friends, aren't we?"

Something glimmered behind her eyes and she sighed, withdrawing her weapon. As it glowed and shrank back into its lipstick container, she straightened her back and turned away.

"Fine." she said, resigned. "We're good."

"We are?"

"Yes." she said. She nodded to Terezi, who settled back and sheathed her sword. Eridan relaxed.

"Now, I really must get back to Rose." Kanaya said. She walked away. Terezi grumbled something under her breath and wandered off as well. Aradia flew into the sky.

Feferi hesitated, eyes flicking between Eridan and her departing friends, but soon plastered her smile back on. " _Whale_ ," she said. "That shore was tense."

She giggled, recovering quickly. Beside her, Sollux didn't seem as amused.

"Anyway," Feferi continued. "It's great to be back. _Right_ , Sollux?"

Sollux made an unintelligible noise, and Feferi laughed again as if to fill the silence. She was trying. But it was obvious it wouldn't last.

"Well, I'm going to go look around." she said, turning to walk away. Eridan instinctively stepped after her and she froze.

"What is it?" she asked, chipper voice betraying nothing. "Did you want something?"

"Fef," he said, pleadingly. And that was all he said. He cleared his throat, as if the words were caught in it.

Feferi's smile faltered for a second, long enough for Sollux to step forward with a growl.

"Fuck off, Eridan." he said, voice low and threatening. "I don't care what Kanaya says, you can't make up for what you did. It doesn't matter how many half assed apologies you make."

"I got nothin to say to you, anyway, mustard brain." Eridan snapped. 

" _Eridan_!" Feferi interjected. Eridan backed down, embarrassed.

"Right, yeah." he said. "No more blood stuff. I don't care about him anyway, I need to talk to _you_ , Fef."

Feferi looked away, smile long gone, but she nodded.

"I know we got to talk about it a little as sprites, but that's not enough." Eridan said. "Assumin you even remember that, I mean. Things were pretty messed up an I guess I coulda been talkin to any old doomed Fef."

"I remember."

"Okay good. That makes this less awkward." he continued. "I didn't get to speak my mind then on account a candy idiots makin things worse for us, an bein temporarily a two minds about it in the first place, but I wanted to say Fef… I really am sorry."

"Yeah, I know…" she said softly.

"What I did to you was fuckin unconscionable, an I get it if you never forgive me. But I want you to know, I…" he hesitated, skipping over his words. "Look, I'm not gonna make excuses, or say I didn't mean to do it. I didn't plan on it when I went lookin for you, but it still happened. But I really do regret it, an I'd never let it happen again. I really care about you, Fef. I'm pretty sure I always will."

Feferi smiled sadly. "I know you do, Eridan." she said. "And maybe I shouldn't, but I forgive you."

"Really? You do?" he said incredulously.

"Yes. You were my best frond, once. You've been _awful_ since we broke up, but… It's hard to let go of something like that."

He broke out into a wide grin. "So, does that mean we can be friends again?"

She looked away."I don't know about that." she frowned. "Eridan, I… I mean it, I do want to, but… I'm just so tired."

He frowned, but nodded. She had every right to be. "Am I at least allowed to make fish puns at you again?"

At that her grin returned. "Yes. Abshoalutely."

They stood there smiling at each other for another second, and then Feferi started to edge away.

"Now, I really do want to explore this place, if you two don't mind. It's so _beautiful_! I want to see everything it has to offer."

She turned and started to leave. Sollux followed after her.

"FF, wait for me." he said. She frowned at him.

"Sollux, I…" she stopped, considering her words carefully. "I'm sorry, but I'd actually like to be alone right now."

"Wait, completely alone? You don't want me coming either?" he asked. He hesitated. "FF, uh. Are we still okay? I mean I don't know why we wouldn't be, but…"

"Yes! We are." she said quickly. "Sollux, we will _always_ be okay. You're my matesprit, and I love you a lot. But right now…" she looked away. "I just really am so tired."

"Right. Okay, that's fine." he said, looking like it was anything but fine. "Fair, anyway. Alright. I'll see you around, I guess?"

Feferi smiled dolefully. "You will, I promise." she said. "This is temporary, I swear. I just… need a little break, that's all."

Feferi wandered away into their new world, leaving Sollux and Eridan standing alone in the clearing where they'd gathered. They stood there for a while, resolutely refusing to acknowledge each other, before Eridan grumbled and spoke up.

"So is this gonna be a problem?" he asked.

"Fuck off." Sollux snapped back.

"Cause I meant what I said, I got nothin to apologize to you for. You attacked me first."

"I _said_ , fuck off!" Sollux said, whirling around to look him in the eyes. "I mean it, Eridan. This shit, everyone forgiving you—that isn't happening with me."

"There's nothin to forgive." Eridan glared back at him. "And no reason why you got to, as long as you don't pick another fight with me. I didn't kill you and I'm not gonna kill _anyone_ , but I don't see a problem with fightin back if you push your luck."

Sollux growled and opened his mouth to snipe back at him, but bit off his words before he could.

"Oh, _fuck_ you." he said instead, and stormed out of the clearing. Eridan walked away in the other direction.

He wandered through the new land aimlessly, examining the terrain. It was alright, he guessed, if overgrown forests and huge metal structures jutting out of the ground were your thing. They weren't his, that's for sure.

"This place is fuckin boring." Eridan mumbled under his breath. There wasn't even a hint of water anywhere he could see, save for a pathetically small stream running through the woods. Too far into the mainland, probably. He didn't exactly _want_ to live in the ocean, but the least he could do was be _near_ it.

He was still a seadweller, after all. _Royalty_. No matter what happened, he would be—

Completely alone, if he kept that up.

Right. He'd make the most of this. He _had_ to. He couldn't lose everyone, not when he'd finally got a chance to make things right.

He wasn't really looking for anything, let alone any _one_ , so when he walked past Terezi sitting slumped against a tree it took him a minute to notice. He backtracked and stopped in front of her.

"Hey, Ter. What're you doin out here?"

She made some disgruntled noise under her breath, but didn't really answer. Eridan was beginning to get a little unsettled.

"Hey, uh you ok Ter?" he asked, awkwardly. "Youve been really quiet today, an I guess that coulda been on account a just not havin much to say but I'm pretty sure that's weird for you."

"I'm _fine_." she snapped, glaring off into the woods.

Oh, well that was a relief. Eridan relaxed.

"Well that's good." he said. "What're you out here all alone for anyway, I figured you'd be hangin out with the others or somethin?"

She breathed sharply out her nose and laughed bitterly. "Who is there to hang out with?"

"I don't know, Kar maybe? You spent all your time with him during our session anyway. I know you kinda cooled off a little on the meteor but I woulda thought you'd still be close."

Terezi wrinkled her nose in his direction and didn't answer for a moment, thoughtful.

"It's been three years, Eridan." she said, matter of factly. "Karkat and I haven't been close in a long time."

"Oh."

"Besides, he spends all his time with Dave these days."

"Yeah, I heard him say somethin like that I think." Eridan said, remembering. "Which one's Dave, that one a the humans? I swear these fuckers have doubled or somethin since the last time I saw em."

A small smile crossed Terezi's face, but just as quickly fell.

"Yeah, Dave's human. He's one of the ones we knew on the meteor. I used to be friends with him too, but…" she trailed off. "You know. Things change."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I can hardly keep track a what's goin on anymore. Think I need someone to catch me up on what all a youve been doin."

He thought for a moment. "Not everything's changed though, huh?" he said. "Kan still spending all her time with that human witch-seer."

"Yes. They've been inseperable." she said. She frowned. "And frankly, a little obnoxious."

"Haha, yeah, I hear you. Never got what Kan saw in her anyway, she's deplorable."

"Like you're one to talk." she said coldly.

"Wow, rude."

The conversation tapered off, and Terezi returned to gazing forlornly into the distance. She absently played with a stick on the ground. Eridan swayed on his feet, not liking the silence.

"Still though, there's other people you could be hangin out with, right?" he said. "Like Ar, or one a the other humans, or— hell, even that asshole sparkmage. I know for a fact he's got nothin else goin on right now. You were friends. You _got_ friends. I mean fuck, who have you been spendin the last sweep and a half with?"

He didn't know what he said wrong, but he saw the moment he fucked up. She tensed up. Her face wiped clear of emotion, like a metal door slamming shut between them.

"Get lost." she said, and she didn't even sound mad. Didn't sound like much of anything.

"What, no, come on." he said. "It's an honest question, can't tell me you _like_ being out here by yourself—"

"I'd like to be alone right now." she said, and now a bit of irritation was sliding back into her voice.

He stood there for a moment, deliberating.

"God, its so difficult to hold a conversation with you." he said, finally, and left her alone.

She waited for him to leave, sniffing the clearing when he was gone, and sighed. Fiddling with the stick again, wondering where her cane had wound up, she sat there for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> background ships (some are already established, some will happen later):  
> Rose/Kanaya, Eridan & Kanaya (friends), Eridan/Rose (hateflirting)  
> Dave/Karkat, Dave & Jade (BFFs), Jade & Karkat (bizarre 2 person auspistice they refuse to explain)  
> John/Roxy, Roxy & Calliope (pale probably? totally married though)  
> Davepeta & ARquius & GCATavros (pale)  
> Dirk & Jake (attempting this human disease called friendship)  
> Davepeta/Jasprose/Jane  
> Rose/Jasprose (pitch but they refuse to make it official out of spite)


End file.
